Container drainage valve

ABSTRACT

A reciprocating valve for a container, the valve including a stem and seat. The stem is movable between an outer position with the stem spaced from the seat to permit fluid flow from a cavity in the container through the valve, and an inner position with the stem sealingly engaged against the seat to prevent passage of fluid. A flexible tube extends from the valve and has a sufficient length to permit compression of the tube by a user&#39;&#39;s fingers to regulate the passage of fluid through the tube. A cap is removably positioned on an orifice adjacent the outer end of the tube to selectively close the orifice, and a strap connects the cap with a portion of the valve intermediate a reciprocating portion of the valve and the container. The strap is sufficiently long to permit placement of the cap on the orifice in the inner valve position, but is sufficiently short to prevent movement of the valve from its inner to outer position without removal of the cap from the orifice.

United States Patent 1 Patel [45] Feb. 26, 1974 CONTAINER DRAINAGE VALVE Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg 75 Inventor: Bhupendra c. Patel, Elgin, 111. Ammey, Agent Sprung [73] Assignee: The Kendall Company, Walpole, 57] ABSTRACT Mass- A reciprocating valve for a container, the valve in- [22] Filed; No 28, 1972 cluding a stem andseat. The stem is movable between v an outer position with the stem spaced from the seat PP s to permit fluid flow from a cavity in the container Related Application Data through the valve, and an inner position with the stem sealingly engaged against the seat to prevent passage [62] 5 223 5 2? 1971 of fluid. A flexible tube' extends from the'valve and 4 hasa sufficient length to permit compression of the 52 us. Cl. 222/529, 222/563 tube by a fingers feguate the Passage fluid 51] Int. Cl B65d 47/06 thmugh the A cap is remm'ably P 5 Field of searchm 222/499 52 529 525 209 orifice adjacent the outer end of the tube to selec- 222/493 .tively close the orifice, and a strap connects the cap v with a portionof the valve intermediate a reciprocat- 56] References Cited ing portion of the valve and the container. The strap is sufficiently long to permit placement of the cap on the UNITED T PATENTS orifice in the inner valve position, but is sufficiently 2,679,336 5/1954 Frlck 222/494 X Short to prevent movement f the valve f i inner 52 to outer position without removal of the cap from the 2:706:582 4/1955 Flamm 222 207 mfice' 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures CONTAINER DRAINAGE VALVE This is a division, of U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 172,528, filed Aug. I7, 1971 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,9l4.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to drainage valves for fluid containers, and more particularly to a device for sampling fluid from the containers.

2. Description of the Prior Art Although container valves are known, such as De See U.S. Pat. No. 2,887,120 and Beall et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,547,40l, it is frequently necessary to regulate the passage of fluid from the container through the valve. For example, when a valve is utilized for draining a urine meter, it is often desirable to sample a relatively small quantity of urine for a specimen. Since the De See and Beall et al. valves are only operable between a fully open and fully closed position, it is very difficult to control such valves in order to obtain the desired amount of fluid. Moreover, it is also desirable to prevent. the inadvertent opening of the container valves prior to draining or sampling ofthe fluid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 7 past the stem and stem seat. At least a portion of the valve wall is reciprocally movable, with one of said stem and stem seat being movable therewith, between (a) an outer position with the stem spaced from the seatto permit the passage of fluid from the container to the outlet orifice, and (b) an inner position with the stem sealingly-engaged against the stem seat to prevent passage of fluid from the valve chamber and out through the outlet orifice, suchthat the orifices are seat, through the fluid passageway and through fice is not in position for the placement of the cap thereon.

A further feature of the invention is that the placed cap additionally insures against the loss of fluid in the inner position of the valve.

The outlet orifice is located remote from both the stem and seat, and the valve chamber includes a fluid passageway extending from the stem and stem seat from the side thereof proximal to the outlet orifice to the orifice. Thus, when the valve chamber is in its outer, open position, the flow of fluid from the container is through the inlet orifice, past the stem and the outlet orifice.

Another feature of the present invention is that the fluid passageway is manually compressible to narrow or close the passageway to regulate or intermittently stop the flow of fluid from the outlet orifice.

Further features will become more fully apparent in the following description of the embodiments of this invention and from the appended claims.

spaced farther apart from each other when the valve is in its outer position than when it is in its inner position.

is for attachment to a portion of the valve and container assembly which is immovable with respect to the reciprocally movable wall portion of the valve.- The strap is sufficiently long to permit placement of the cap on the outlet orifice in the inner position, but sufficiently short to prevent movement of the outlet orifice, while the cap is in place on the orifice, from the inner to outer position. I

Thus, a feature of the invention is that the strap and placed cap serves as a protective safeguard against premature opening of the valve to its outer position with resultant loss of fluid.

Another feature of the invention is that the strap and cap serve as a visible signal to indicate that the valve is in its open position and not closed when the outlet ori- DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a container and one embodiment of the valve of the present invention, with the valve in a closed position and a cap secured to a tube extending from the valve;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the container and valve of FIG. 1, with the valve in an open position and the tube being compressed by a users fingers;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the valve of FIG. 2 with the tube being slightly released for the sampling of fluid;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the valve in closed position;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of a container and another embodiment of the valve in closed position, the valve having a stern secured to the remote end of a bellows; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the container and valve of FIG. 5 in an open position;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, a reciprocating valve, generally designated 20, is shown for controlling the passage of fluid from a container 22. The valve 20 includes a stem designated generally 24 depending from the container 22, and having a base portion 26 secured to the container and a plug portion 28 extending from the base portion 26. The valve includes a flexible body member or valve wall designated generally 30 having an annular wall 32 secured to a circumferential rim 34 in the stem base portion 26.

The stem 24 includes a passageway or channel 36 wall and bellows 32 and 42, along with the stem 24 and seat 44, defining a valve chamber 46.

The body member 30 of the valve 20 is movable between an inner position, as shown in FIG. 1, with the bellows 42 folded into the chamber 46 and the seat 44 engaged against the stem plug portion 28, and an outer position, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, with the bellows 42 extended and the seat 44 spaced from the stem plug portion 28. In the inner or closed valve position, a circumferential rim 48 in the plug portion 28 adjacent the openings 40 is received in a corresponding annular groove 50 in the valve seat 44, to lock the seat against the plug portion in sealing engagement to prevent passage of fluid from the passageway 36 through the inlet orifice or opening means 40. In the outer or open valve position, the seat is spaced from the plug portion to permit passage of fluid through the openings 40 into the chamber 46 and through the seat 44.

The valve wall 30 also includes a flexible tube 52 extending from the seat 44, with the tube having a lumen or fluid passageway 54 communicating with the chamber 46 when the valve is in the outer position, and having an annular rim 56 adjacent the outer end of the tube defining an outlet orifice or opening 58 communicating with the tube'lumen 54. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the tube 52 is manually compressible to narrow or the tube includes a central portion 60 having a restricted outside diameter to confine compression of the tube to a localized area. v

A cap 62 is removably positioned on the rim 56 to open and close the orifice 58, and the closure cap 62 is connected to the annular wall 32 or container, constituting a portion of the valve and container assembly which is immovable with respect to the movable wall portion 42, by a strap 64. The strap 64 is sufficiently long to permit placement of the cap 62 on the rim 56 in the inner valve position, as shown in FIG. 1, but is sufficiently short to prevent movement of the valve from its inner to outer position without removal of the cap from the orifice.

Initially, the cap 62 serves as a secondary closure to prevent the escape of fluid from the container. Hence, if total sealing is not accomplished between the seat and the stem plug portion, the fluid is still prevented from leaking out of the valve. Moreover, when the cap 62 is positioned on the rim 56, the cap and strap 62 and 64 releasably lock the valve in its inner position, and prevent the inadvertent or premature opening of the valve and spillage of fluid onto the floor. Also, the strap and cap serve as a visible signal to show that the valve is in its open position, and not closed, when the outlet orifice is not in position for the placement of the cap thereon. When it is desired to open the valve for draining the container, the cap 62-is first removed from the rim 56, and the valve is moved to its outer position to disengage the seat and stem plug portion.

- However, if it is desired to sample a relatively small amount of fluid, the cap 62 is first removed and the central tube portion 60 is compressed by a users fin. gers to close the tube lumen 54, prior to moving the valve to its outer position. It is apparent that the necessity of removing the cap from the rim 56 serves as a reminder to close the lumen 54 before moving the valve to its outer position, which if not performed, will result in the rapid escape of fluid. Next, the valve is moved to the outer position, as shown in FIG. 2, in order to disengage the seat from the stem plug portion, while the lumen 54 remains closed. Finally, the central portion 60 is slightly released, as shown in FIG. 3, in order to 4 partially open the lumen 54 and regulate the flow of fluid through the tube in order to obtain a sample.

When the sampling of fluid is complete, the central portion 60 is again closed by the fingers, and the valve is moved to its inner position to engage the seat and stem plug portion. Next, the central tube portion 60 is opened to release any fluid remaining in the valve seat and tube lumen above the central portion 60. Finally,

the cap 62 is positioned on the rim 56 to seal the lumen 54, and since the tube lumen 54 has already been drained, it will remain empty until the cap and valve are subsequently opened for draining or sampling, unless fluid should leak through the seat and stem plug portion into the lumen.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 4, in which like. reference numerals are incremented by one hundred from the valveshown in FIGS.

1-3. In this embodiment, the fluid regulating tube is omitted, and an annular rim 156 defining an orifice 158 extends from the outer end of a valve seat 144. A cap 162 is removably positioned on the rim 156 to selectively close the orifice 158, and the cap 162 is connected to an annular wall 132 by a strap 164. As described in connection with FIGS. 1-3, the strap is sufficiently long for placement of the cap 162 on the end of the seat in the inner position of the valve 120, but the strap is sufficiently short to prevent movement of the seat from the inner to outer position without removal of the cap from the end ofthe seat.

Thus, the cap 162 serves as a secondary closure to insure the absence of leakage from the valve, and the cap 162 and strap 164 prevents the inadvertent movement of the valve from its inner to outer position. When it is desired to open the valve, the cap 162 is removed from the rim 156, and the valve is moved to the outer position to disengage the seat 144 from the stem plug portion 128. The valve is closed by moving the seat to the inner position, and the cap is replaced on the rim 156.

Another embodiment of the invention, which is similar to the valve of FIGS. l-3, is illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, showing a valve 220 in its closed and open positions, respectively. In this embodiment, a stem 224 has one end 223 secured to a cross rib 227, which is connected to a tubular portion 225 extending from a bellows 242. The other end 229 of the stem 224 projects toward a cavity 238 in a container 222. The tubular portion 225 and cross rib 227 define a pair of openings (one of which is not shown) or opening means 240 adjacent the one stem end 223, the fluid passes from a chamber 246, defined. by an annular wall 232 and the bellows 242, through the opening means 240 into a lumen 254 in a tubular extension 252. The container 222 has a valve seat 244 communicating between the,

container cavity 238 and the chamber 246 and defining the inlet orifice.

In the inner position of the valve 220, as shown in FIG. 5, the other stem end 229 sealingly engages against the seat 244 to prevent passage of fluid from the container cavity 238 into the chamber 246. When the valve is in its outer position, asillustrated in FIG. 6, the other stem end 229 is spaced from the seat 244, permitting fluid to pass from the container cavity 238 into the chamber 246, and from the chamber, the fluid passes through the opening means 240 and the tube lumen 254 to an orifice 258 for collection. In other respects, the valve 220 operates in a manner similar to the valve'20 of FIGS. l-3, as previously described.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a reciprocating valve for a container wherein said valve has a stem, a seat for said stem, a valve wall providing with said stem and stem seat a valve chamber having an inlet orifice through which fluid may pass from a cavity in the container to said valve chamber and an outlet orifice through which the fluid may pass from said valve chamber past said stem and stem seat, at least a portion of said valve wall being reciprocally movable with one of said stem and stem seat movable therewith between (a) an outer position with the stem spaced from said seat to permit the passage of liquid from said container to said outlet orifice and (b) an inner position with the stem sealingly engaged against the seat to prevent passage of liquid from the valve chamber to said outlet orifice, the improvement in combination therewith ofa fluid-flow regulatory means for said valve'when said valve is in the outer, open position, wherein I said outlet orifice is located remote from both said stem and stem seat and said valve chamber includes a chamber portion providing a fluid passageway extending from the stem and stem seat from the side thereof proximal to said outlet orifice to the outlet orifice,

the wall portion of said valve chamber portion defining the fluid passageway being flexible, whereby upon compressing said wall portion the passageway can be narrowed or closed to regulate or intermittently stop the flow of fluid from the outlet orifice,

said wall portion defining the fluid passageway having a portion of restricted outside diameter to confine compression to a localized area. 2. The reciprocating valve of claim 1 wherein said valve wall comprises a tube of a flexible material.

3. ln a reciprocating valve for a container wherein said valve has a stem depending from the container, a

seat for said stem, a valve wall providing with said stem and stem seat a valve chamber, said stem having a channel communicating between a cavity in the container and an inlet orifice on the stem through which liquid may-pass from the cavity to the valve chamber, said valve chamber having an outlet orifice through which liquid may pass from the chamber past the stem seat, at least. a portion of said valve wall being recipro- -cally movable with said stem seat movable therewith between (a) an outer position with the stem spaced from said seat to permit the passage of liquid from said container to said outlet orifice and (b) an inner position with the stem sealingly engaged against the seat to prevent passage of liquid from the valve chamber to said outlet orifice, the improvementin combination therewith of a fluid-flow regulatory means for said valve when said valve is in the outer, open position, wherein said outlet orifice is located remote from both said stem and stem seat and said valve chamber includes a chamber portion providing a fluid passageway extending from the stem 6. seat from the side'thereof proximal to said outlet orifice to the outlet orifice, the wall portion of-saidvalve chamber portion defining the fluid passageway being flexible, whereby 5 upon compressing said wall portion the passageway can be narrowed or closed to regulate or intermittently stop the flow of fluid from the outlet orifice,

said wall portion defining the fluid passageway having a portion of restricted outside diameter to confine compression to a localized area.

4. The reciprocating valve of claim 3 wherein said valve wall comprises a tube of a flexible material.

5. In a reciprocating valve for a container wherein said valve has a valve wall, a stem extending from the valve wall toward the container, a seat in the container for said stem, said valve wall providing with said stem and stem seat a valve chamber having an inlet orifice defined by the seat through which liquid may pass from a cavity in the container to said valve chamber and an outlet orifice through which liquid may pass from said valve chamber past the stem, at least a portion of said valve wall being reciprocally movable with said stem movable therewith between (a) an outer position with the stem spaced from said seatto permit the passage of fluid from said container to saidoutlet orifice and (b) an inner position with the stem sealingly engaged against the seat to prevent passage of liquid from the container cavity to said valve chamber, the improvement in combination therewith of a fluid-flow regulatory means for said valve when said valve is in the outer, open position, wherein said outlet orifice is located remote from both said stem and stem seat and said valve chamber includes a chamber portionproviding a fluid passageway extending from the stem' from the side thereof proximal to said outlet orifice to the outlet orifice,

the wall portion of said valve chamber portion defining the fluid passageway being flexible, whereby upon compressing said wall portion the passageway can be narrowed or closed to regulate or intermittently stop the flow of fluid from the outlet orifice,

said wall portion defining the fluid passageway havinga portion of restricted outside diameter to confine compression to a localized area. 6. The reciprocating valve of claim 5 wherein said valve wall comprises a tube of a flexible material. 7. A container assembly, comprising in combination:

a container having a fluid-retention cavity; and a reciprocating valve secured to said container in- Cluding, a stem, a seat for said stem, a valve wall providing with said stem and stem seat a-valve chamber having an inlet orifice through which fluid may pass from a cavity in the container to said valve chamber and an outlet orifice through which the fluid may pass from said valve chamber past said stem and stem seat, at least a portion of said valve wall being reciprocally movable with one of the valve chamber to said outlet orifice, said outlet orifice being located remote from both said stem and stem seat, and said valve chamber including a chamber portion providing a fluid passageway extending from the stem and stem seat from the side thereof proximal to said outlet orifice to the outlet orifice, the wall portion of said valve chamber portion defining the fluid passageway being flexible, whereby upon compressing said wall portion the passageway can be narrowed or closed to regulate or intermittently stop the flow of fluid from the outlet orifice, said wall portion defining the fluid passageway having a portion of restricted outside diameter to confine compression to a localized area.

8. The container assembly of claim 7 wherein said valve wall comprises a tube of flexiblematerial.

9. The container assembly of claim 7 wherein the inlet orifice is located in the stem, said stem depends from the container and has a channel communicating between the container cavity and the inlet orifice, and said stem seat is movable with the movable valve wall portion.

10. The container assembly of claim 7 wherein said stem extends from the valve wall toward the container, said seat is located in the container and defines said inlet orifice, and said stem is movable with the movable valve wall portion. 

1. In a reciprocating valve for a container wherein said valve has a stem, a seat for said stem, a valve wall providing with said stem and stem seat a valve chamber having an inlet orifice through which fluid may pass from a cavity in the container to said valve chamber and an outlet orifice through which the fluid may pass from said valve chamber past said stem and stem seat, at least a portion of said valve wall being reciprocally movable with one of said stem and stem seat movable therewith between (a) an outer position with the stem spaced from said seat to permit the passage of liquid from said container to said outlet orifice and (b) an inner position with the stem sealingly engaged against the seat to prevent passage of liquid froM the valve chamber to said outlet orifice, the improvement in combination therewith of a fluid-flow regulatory means for said valve when said valve is in the outer, open position, wherein said outlet orifice is located remote from both said stem and stem seat and said valve chamber includes a chamber portion providing a fluid passageway extending from the stem and stem seat from the side thereof proximal to said outlet orifice to the outlet orifice, the wall portion of said valve chamber portion defining the fluid passageway being flexible, whereby upon compressing said wall portion the passageway can be narrowed or closed to regulate or intermittently stop the flow of fluid from the outlet orifice, said wall portion defining the fluid passageway having a portion of restricted outside diameter to confine compression to a localized area.
 2. The reciprocating valve of claim 1 wherein said valve wall comprises a tube of a flexible material.
 3. In a reciprocating valve for a container wherein said valve has a stem depending from the container, a seat for said stem, a valve wall providing with said stem and stem seat a valve chamber, said stem having a channel communicating between a cavity in the container and an inlet orifice on the stem through which liquid may pass from the cavity to the valve chamber, said valve chamber having an outlet orifice through which liquid may pass from the chamber past the stem seat, at least a portion of said valve wall being reciprocally movable with said stem seat movable therewith between (a) an outer position with the stem spaced from said seat to permit the passage of liquid from said container to said outlet orifice and (b) an inner position with the stem sealingly engaged against the seat to prevent passage of liquid from the valve chamber to said outlet orifice, the improvement in combination therewith of a fluid-flow regulatory means for said valve when said valve is in the outer, open position, wherein said outlet orifice is located remote from both said stem and stem seat and said valve chamber includes a chamber portion providing a fluid passageway extending from the stem seat from the side thereof proximal to said outlet orifice to the outlet orifice, the wall portion of said valve chamber portion defining the fluid passageway being flexible, whereby upon compressing said wall portion the passageway can be narrowed or closed to regulate or intermittently stop the flow of fluid from the outlet orifice, said wall portion defining the fluid passageway having a portion of restricted outside diameter to confine compression to a localized area.
 4. The reciprocating valve of claim 3 wherein said valve wall comprises a tube of a flexible material.
 5. In a reciprocating valve for a container wherein said valve has a valve wall, a stem extending from the valve wall toward the container, a seat in the container for said stem, said valve wall providing with said stem and stem seat a valve chamber having an inlet orifice defined by the seat through which liquid may pass from a cavity in the container to said valve chamber and an outlet orifice through which liquid may pass from said valve chamber past the stem, at least a portion of said valve wall being reciprocally movable with said stem movable therewith between (a) an outer position with the stem spaced from said seat to permit the passage of fluid from said container to said outlet orifice and (b) an inner position with the stem sealingly engaged against the seat to prevent passage of liquid from the container cavity to said valve chamber, the improvement in combination therewith of a fluid-flow regulatory means for said valve when said valve is in the outer, open position, wherein said outlet orifice is located remote from both said stem and stem seat and said valve chamber includes a chamber portion providing a fluid passageway extending from the stem from the side thereof proximal to said outlet orifice to The outlet orifice, the wall portion of said valve chamber portion defining the fluid passageway being flexible, whereby upon compressing said wall portion the passageway can be narrowed or closed to regulate or intermittently stop the flow of fluid from the outlet orifice, said wall portion defining the fluid passageway having a portion of restricted outside diameter to confine compression to a localized area.
 6. The reciprocating valve of claim 5 wherein said valve wall comprises a tube of a flexible material.
 7. A container assembly, comprising in combination: a container having a fluid-retention cavity; and a reciprocating valve secured to said container including, a stem, a seat for said stem, a valve wall providing with said stem and stem seat a valve chamber having an inlet orifice through which fluid may pass from a cavity in the container to said valve chamber and an outlet orifice through which the fluid may pass from said valve chamber past said stem and stem seat, at least a portion of said valve wall being reciprocally movable with one of said stem and stem seat movable therewith between (a) an outer position with the stem spaced from said seat to permit the passage of liquid from said container to said outlet orifice and (b) an inner position with the stem sealingly engaged against the seat to prevent passage of liquid from the valve chamber to said outlet orifice, said outlet orifice being located remote from both said stem and stem seat, and said valve chamber including a chamber portion providing a fluid passageway extending from the stem and stem seat from the side thereof proximal to said outlet orifice to the outlet orifice, the wall portion of said valve chamber portion defining the fluid passageway being flexible, whereby upon compressing said wall portion the passageway can be narrowed or closed to regulate or intermittently stop the flow of fluid from the outlet orifice, said wall portion defining the fluid passageway having a portion of restricted outside diameter to confine compression to a localized area.
 8. The container assembly of claim 7 wherein said valve wall comprises a tube of flexible material.
 9. The container assembly of claim 7 wherein the inlet orifice is located in the stem, said stem depends from the container and has a channel communicating between the container cavity and the inlet orifice, and said stem seat is movable with the movable valve wall portion.
 10. The container assembly of claim 7 wherein said stem extends from the valve wall toward the container, said seat is located in the container and defines said inlet orifice, and said stem is movable with the movable valve wall portion. 